Converter cartridge



Juwe 115, EQ43Q g; ENGEL 2,32%?3 CONVERTER CARTRIDGE Filed June 25; 1941 Inventor Patented June 15, 1943 UNITED STATES TENT GHQ-E1 1 Claim.

My invention relates to improvements in converter cartridges for use in high powered rifles to adapt the chambers thereof for loading therein low powered shorter cartridges.

The principal object of the invention i to provide a practical, efiicient, converter cartridge for use more particularly with bottleneck type, low powered, center fire cartridges and equipped for easy and secure loading of the low powered cartridge therein and for reloading repeatedly.

Another object is to provide a device of the character and for the purpose above set forth which is safe, simple in construction, and inexpensive to manufacture.

To the accomplishment of the above, and the subordinate objects presently appearing, a preferred embodiment of my invention has been illustrated in the accompanying drawing, set forth in detail in the succeeding description, and defined in the claim appended hereto.

In said drawing:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of the preferred embodiment of the invention,

Figure 2 is a view in longitudinal section of the shell,

Figure 3 is a view in side elevation of the breech block,

Figure 4 is a View in longitudinal section of the breech block,

Figure 5 is a similar View taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 7,

Figure 6 is a rear end view of the breech block,

Figure 7 is a front end view of said block,

Figure 8 is a view in transverse section of the shell taken on the line 88 of Figure 1, and

Figure 9 is a similar view taken on the line 9-9 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawing by numerals, my converter cartridge in the illustrated embodiment thereof comprises a shell i open at both ends. The shell tapers and is dimensioned externally to fit the usual cartridge chamber of the standard high powered rifle, not shown, for instance of the .40-.30 calibre, and is provided with the usual bottleneck front end 2. Internally, the shell l is bored from its breech end to form a circumferential internal shoulder 3 therein, and an enlarged rear end chamber i, and from the shoulder 3 forwardly is tapered and dimensioned for loading therein of a low powered, center fire cartridge, not shown, for instance a .32 calibre long, with the bullet projecting to the requisite extent out of the bottleneck end 2 and the rim abutting the shoulder 3. A bayonet type slot 5 is provided in the rear end of the shell I opening into chamber i and onto the rear end of the shell.

A closure in the form of a cylindrical breech block 6 is provided to fit in the chamber 4 against the rim, not shown, of the low powered cartridge, said block having a rear circumferential edge flange l for manipulation of the block 6 to rotate and slide the same in the chamber :3. The breech block 6 is provided with a rectangular, circumferential lug 8 adapted to be slid into the slot 5 and turned therein under rotation of the breech block 6 in one direction to thereby lock the latter home in said shell I against rearward displacement from home position.

A substantially right angled locking pin 9, of resilient metal, is provided in the breech block 6, said pin including a leg It] frictionally fitting in a transverse bore H extending through the front end portion of the breech block 6, in oliset position relative to the axis of said block, the free end of the leg Ill being upset, as at I2, to retain the same in said bore. The pin 9 further comprises a locking leg I3 adapted to be sprung into a longitudinally extending groove M in the breech block 6 and leading rearwardly from the board ll, said groove terminating in a countersink I5, the arrangement being such that the leg l3 normally reacts outwardly of said groove, but, may be manually depressed therein below the circumference of the breech block 6. The groove I4 and leg [3 are angularly related to the lug 8 so that when the breech block 6 is turned in the chamber 4 into the limit of its movement in one direction as established by the lug 8 and slot 5, said leg I3 will swing outwardly and engage, with a, snap action, a longitudinal edge of the slot 5 to thereby latch the breech block 6 against turning in the opposite direction out of said limit of movement thereof. The leg [8 terminates in an outwardly bowed portion l6 adapted to be depressed in the countersink I5 to flex the leg l3 into the groove 4 clear of said edge of the slot 5 so that said breech block 6 may be rotated and withdrawn from the shell i.

A firing pin [8 is provided in the axis of the breech block 6 and which comprises an enlarged tail end I! slidably fitted in an axial bore I9 in said block, and a reduced firing end 20 similarly mounted in an axial counterbore 20 in the block 6. The breech block 6 is upset, as at 2|, around the rear end of the bore 19 to retain the firing pin in said block. The counterbore 20 forms a shoulder 22 for the abutment by the end I! of said firing pin to limit the firing movement of said pin so that it will not be projected into the low powered cartridge.

The foregoing will, it is believed, suffice to impart a clear understanding of my invention, since the use and operation of the same have been set forth in connection with the construction thereof.

Manifestly, the invention, as described, is susceptible of modification without departing from the inventive concept, and right is herein reserved to such modifications as fall within the scope of the subjoined claim.

What I claim is:

A converter cartridge adapted to be loaded with a smaller cartridge having an edge rim, said converter cartridge comprising a shell embodying an enlarged rear end chamber forming an internal shoulder adjacent the rear end of the shell for coaotion with the rim of the smaller cartridge to establish the loaded position thereof, said shell being provided with a bayonet slot therein opening into said chamber and onto the rear end of the shell, a cylindrical breech block endwise slidable in said chamber and rotatable therein and adapted to engage the rim of said smaller cartridge, a circumferential lug on said block for coaction with said slot under sliding and rotation of the block in one direction to lock said block, and means coacting with one edge of the slot to lock the block against rotation in the opposite direction and comprising a substantially right-angled pin including a leg extending crosswise through said block in circumferentially spaced relation to said lug and a resilient leg extending lengthwise along said block, and provided with an upwardly bent end, said block having a groove therein parallel with said one edge of said slot and having a deepened portion into which the upwardly bent end of the resilient leg is adapted to be depressed to unlock said block for rotation in said opposite direction.

RALPH C. ENGEL. 

